Page 8 of The Prince's Fealty

Tor hadn’t interacted with the exiles very often, but up the mountain, they had collectively been more reasonable than almost anyone from Tond.

Bavil subsided, but he still looked disgruntled.

“We’ll patrol,” Beluna said firmly.

“That would be appreciated,” Pel said with a smile—and then glared at his brother when it looked like he might protest. “Exiles are not the only possible threat on this mountainside. As far as we are aware, Tor is presumed dead and no one followed us, but we can’t be absolutely certain. And if what Tama said was true, and they weren’t involved in the violent ‘exile’ attack, then there are other forces at play.”

His tone was very challenging, and after a long moment, Bavil’s shoulders relaxed a little, and he inclined his head. Tor’s gaze flitted between them. This was still the two of them arguing, but it felt different than it had back at the castle. Had they sorted something out while Tor was unconscious? That would almost make it worth it.

“You’re right,” Bavil admitted. “We don’t know the mind of every exile, nor can I be absolutely certain of Tama’s. But if she wanted to make trouble, there have been ample opportunities for her to do so in the past. Truthfully, I’ve never seen her like this. She seems… hopeful, excited almost.”

Tor carefully didn’t mention that she could be hopeful and excited because she had the realms’ best leverage sitting in a cave near the exiles. A glance at Pel showed he was thinking the same thing.

Tor didn’t think it was the most likely outcome—but at this point, it was awfully hard to tell who to trust. Allies were also rather thin on the ground, however, and so far, Tama’s actions had been nothing but helpful.

Beluna spoke quietly with Cavun and organized areas of the forested mountains for them to patrol. Her look was especially withering when Tor suggested they could help.

Pel looked unsurprised, and since he’d spent more time with them—conscious—Tor decided it wasn’t worth arguing about. He hadn’t even tried to stand up yet, and he already felt like he could have a nap, so he probably shouldn’t test himself.

“Thank you,” he said instead. “I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, especially all the bits I wasn’t awake for. I apologize for that.”

She practically rolled her eyes. “As we told Prince Pel, you could definitely not have done this without us, Prince Torex. You’re stuck with us.”

Tor couldn’t help but grin. “I’m very grateful. And if it won’t end up with any of you getting arrested and charged with treason, I’ll be sure to recognize that publicly as soon as I can.”

She just looked amused. “Thank you, Your Highness. Take your time.”

Just then, his stomach grumbled loudly enough that it practically echoed through the entire cave. Tor felt his face heat, but Pel sprang into action.

“Oh, goddess, it’s been weeks since you’ve eaten. Why didn’t I think of this sooner. Here. Here!”

Tor soon had water, berries, several hunks of bread and cheese, and a quite decent stew that wasn’t piping hot but had clearly been hot not that long ago. He wasn’t sure how he hadn’t noticed the smell before, but it was like there hadn’t been room in his mind for anything but figuring out what was going on.

His stomach was now protesting that vociferously, so empty that it felt like it was turning itself inside out. Tor couldn’t seem to eat fast enough.

His hand shook so much that it was hard to get the stew to his mouth, but Pel matter-of-factly helped him drink from the bowl instead. Tor didn’t like being this weak, but getting help wasn’t as irritating as he’d thought it would be, at least when it was Pel.

“What do we know?” Tor asked everyone as he steadily consumed every morsel of food Pel presented to him. “Can we lay it all out again? Start with the premise that someone is setting me up.”

He would never forget the fact that the mercenaries had been calling his name as if he were leading them. Even if all the rest had somehow been an accident or a strange set of circumstances,thathad to be deliberate, which cast suspicion on everything else.

They went through what they knew and what they could speculate on.

Bavil started: “You came to Tond, and a group posing as exiles made a violent attack, prompting an even more violent retaliatory attack that should have resulted in the death of a lot of people.”

“Or,” Pel countered, “it resulted in exactly what it was supposed to result in. You saved a bunch of people and were accused of being a traitor.”

Making a face, Bavil argued, “That would be pretty hard to predict.”

Tor hummed. “You both make good points. And maybethat’s the point. If I interceded, I could be accused of siding with the exiles. If I didn’t intercede, I could be accused of dangerous inaction. Just the increase in activity while I was in Tond was laid at my door in the High Court. Maybe this was a no-lose situation for whoever planned this. Any of my actions could be linked to undesirable behavior.”

Pel was frowning, although he didn’t seem totally dismissive. “But you weren’t supposed to be here at all. You were actually supposed to be in Vayrin.”

“Where I’d been sent to court the one person that I least wanted to court.”

Tor had genuinely believed that was just his brother thinking politically and not treating Tor like a person, just like he had with their sister and what Tor wassurewas a disastrous marriage to Prince Thurnil of Lotar. But what if it was more than that?

“Who would have known that?” Pel asked.